First, a quick index of the original Musume Overview series: Takahashi Ai, Niigaki Risa, Kamei Eri, Michishige Sayumi, Tanaka Reina, Kusumi Koharu, Li “Junjun” Chun, Qian “Linlin” Lin, Mitsui Aika.

Now: I promised I would cover the older generations of Morning Musume once I finished my member-by-member review of the current lineup. So, here you go. I’m only covering the generations from 1997 to 1999 in this session of Musume Overview, and after I finish this, I’ll move on to the fourth and fifth generations and assess Fujimoto Miki, the only graduated member of the sixth generation. Be aware, though, I’m a very biased person. :)

One thing I’m disappointed with continually are the people I’ve encountered who write off oldschool members such as Ichii Sayaka, Fukuda Asuka, Yasuda Kei, or Ishiguro Aya as “boring” or “ugly” and not at least act as if they’ve put some hours into getting to know who those members were. Granted, they are among the ranks of the all-time unpopular Musume (and are ironically some of my favorites), but they’re also all over their history, in things like aged Utaban appearances, PVs, and they all have made their impact upon Morning Musume. If you give any of the early releases like “Ai no Tane”, “Daite HOLD ON ME!”, or “Manatsu no Kousen” a listen, you’re bound to enjoy something about their harmonies, voices, etc. And if you have a personal vendetta against the “lame old crap”, well… I have to wonder why you’re even reading my blog right now.

I’m thinking maybe I can try to convince people of both the cons and pros of the era of Morning Musume which is arguably the least-noticed. I want to bring back some of the past to the blogging community. Not because I want to be recognized as having the “Best Blog Entry” or being “Best New Blog of 2007″, but because I’ve got some spare time and I’ll probably have a hell of a lot more to say about those girls than the current Musume.

As I mentioned, this is only going from 1997 to 1999. From oldest to youngest, I’m beginning with the first generation, those original five girls whose great chemistry and charming voices ultimately are to be credited for publicizing Terada Mitsuo’s pseudonym “Tsunku” and creating the legacy of Morning Musume which has lasted up to a decade, now. At the moment you might be thinking “wow, what a bunch of hyperbole”, but really, if there’s any musical group I think deserves its praises to be sung (pun intended), it’s the original Morning Musume who sang “Ai no Tane” in 1997 and sold 50,000 copies just to become a legitimate group.

…so, in essence, this is the “retro review” version of Musume Overview. KEWLIES AMIRITE?!

Early Yuko(s)

Of course, this installment is about Nakazawa Yuko, not the old group. Yuko is turning thirty-five this year, which is…yeah, that’s above-and-beyond the generally accepted time one becomes an obasan in Japan (this is a sarcastic sentence). It makes me a little sad that she has basically zero chances of ever getting married, having a family, et cetera, but that’s not all there is to life. Instead, she has a full career of…musical releases that are a year apart each and no popularity whatsoever. Aw, Yuko, I still like you!

And, you know, she’s sexy. Regardless of her age. I could care less if a woman is sixteen or thirty-seven, whether or not she’s attractive. Though I know that matters a lot to people other than me, which might explain Yuko’s relatively low popularity in Japan as a solo artist, combined with lack of promotion for her singles (which are always either one per year or a year apart) and the style her music is in, which, to my knowledge…isn’t anything trendy nowadays. I think people would sooner pick up a title called “talkin’ 2 myself” than “Danna Sama”, and this is going on the purely hypothetical notion that if Hamasaki Ayumi weren’t extremely popular and the driving force behind “talkin’ 2 myself”, people would still be more interested in it than “Danna Sama”. I believe it’s a cover and title that interest people the most initially in a single or album. That is, until that person becomes more famous and well-known.

Although her present career is permanently at the bottom of the hill, we shouldn’t forget the glory years that were when she was the leader of Morning Musume. She was always on the same level with her peers back then, everybody giving consistently good vocal performance and harmonies. I am an especially big fan of Yuko’s strangely unique, borderline-nasally quality to her voice (though, for some reason, I’ve never liked her singing in her version of “Furusato”). For me, her shining moment was the monologue of “Happy Summer Wedding”. Nobody else’s voice at that time would have suited it more than Yuko’s. I’m also very glad “Renai Revolution 21″ was the single she bowed out from Momusu on. The group was going in a direction that was no longer suitable to the type of performer she is (which I believe is more a singer than an idol), but RR21 is my favorite song of all-time. It wouldn’t have been RR21 without Yuko.

As for her personality… Everyone knows Yuko as the original yankii-type persona in Morning Musume. Really, in general, there’s nothing “bad” I can say about her. I’m not too crazy about her as an idol, but she’s never annoyed me or anything like that. If anything, I look up to her occasionally because she possesses such a strong, leaderlike quality. I can safely say that the only person to challenge her title as best leader of Morning Musume is Yossie.

‘Sup, low-resolution picture?

Peace, Yuko. Also, I have no idea what that white stuff on the front of her shorts is, so don’t even ask me. Maybe if the resolution was higher I could figure it out.

Next time on Musume Overview 1997-1999: Ishiguro Aya! AKA that girl nobody cares about who has a bunch of cute babies. …